Use of Poset Theory with Big Datasets: A New Proposal Applied to the Analysis of Life Satisfaction in Italy

The aim of this work is to propose a tool for measuring a complex concept, and to apply it to big sets of data measured on ordinal and/or dichotomous scales. An important field of application are subjective data, that are often based on opinions or personal evaluations. Many national and international surveys employ this kind of data, measured among thousand of individuals. Thanks to the use of the “average rank” as a synthetic measure of a complex concept, we believe that poset theory could be a very useful approach for dealing with ordinal data avoiding the use of scaling procedures. Because classic poset approaches are at their best when applied to few data at a time, our idea is based on a procedure for sampling units from a big population using a simple criterion to summarize the resulting values appropriately. Applying the central limit theorem enables a comparison of the results obtained from different groups using statistical tests on the means. We used our Height of Groups by Sampling (HOGS) method to compare the average rank among groups that are defined by one or more socio-demographic variables influencing the level of the complex concept we wish to measure. The application of the HOGS procedure to life satisfaction in Italy generated convincing results, revealing significant differences between regions, genders and levels of formal education. We compared the results given by HOGS with the non linear principal component analysis and obtain an easy readable output with convincing precision and accuracy; we are confident that the HOGS procedure can be applied to many other concepts investigated in the social sciences.     

双循环新发展格局下中国双向直接投资研究

构建以国内大循环为主体、国内国际双循环相互促进的新发展格局,是对未来中国经济发展路径做出的重大战略部署,作为连接国内国际双循环的纽带,双向直接投资的发展战略和路径面临重塑和调整。研究认为,应当以推动新时代科技创新和产业升级为目标,提高双向直接投资的质量,畅通供应链和产业链; 以“一带一路”倡议为依托,通过更高水平的双向投资带动中国与沿线国家贸易水平的提高; 建设高水平自贸区和自贸港,提高对外开放标准,更高质量吸引外资,提升参与国际大循环的技术含量和自主性; 在畅通要素流动领域,建立更加完善的现代化物流体系,建设更高标准的要素流通市场体系,降低制度性交易费用,提高生产率和对高质量外资的吸引能力。     

卢旺达的多语教育政策与汉语传播

卢旺达的多语环境现状与其历史和政治权利斗争有关，前殖民地语言——法语和象征意识形态的英语成了种族大屠杀之后替代种族区分的身份标志。多语教育政策在法语、英语、卢旺达语错综复杂的关系背景下出台。实施之后，卢旺达语渐渐受到重视，英语的地位依然稳固，法语日渐式微。但限于客观条件、政治环境以及目前多语教育政策实施效果不理想等因素，卢旺达的语言教育仍面临诸多难题。卢旺达的多语教育现状给汉语传播带来了契机，也带来了挑战。
     

RCEP和中国参与全球经济治理体系改革:困境、机遇与路径

为识别中国参与全球经济治理体系改革面临的挑战,探索《区域全面经济伙伴关系协定》(RCEP)的签署为中国参与全球经济治理体系改革带来的机遇,对中国借力RCEP推动全球经济治理体系改革的路径进行研究。研究发现,既有全球经济治理体系机制建设滞后,个别国家蓄意设置治理障碍,逆全球化浪潮削弱了改革共识; RCEP能够为中国参与全球经济治理体系改革带来新的契机,有助于重构合理高效的全球经济治理机制,消弭单边和霸权主义障碍,弥合全球多边政治互信; 中国亟需紧抓RCEP签署的机遇,加快构建开放型经济新体制,凝聚区域经贸合作伙伴力量妥善处理中美竞合新关系,积极探索全球投资贸易治理机制创新,推动“一带一路”倡议与RCEP框架良好对接,守护多边主义,巩固政治互信。     

Reciprocal Family,Friendship and Church Support Networks of African Americans: Findings from the National Survey of American Life

This study examined reciprocal support networks involving extended family, friends and church members among African Americans. Our analysis examined specific patterns of reciprocal support (i.e., received only, gave only, both gave and received, neither gave or received), as well as network characteristics (i.e., contact and subjective closeness) as correlates of reciprocal support. The analysis is based on the African American subsample of the National Survey of American Life. Overall, our findings indicate that African Americans are very involved in reciprocal support networks with their extended family, friends and church members. Respondents were most extensively involved in reciprocal supports with extended family members, followed closely by friends and church networks. Network characteristics (i.e., contact and subjective closeness) were significantly and consistently associated with involvement with reciprocal support exchanges for all three networks. These and other findings are discussed in detail. This study complements previous work on the complementary roles of family, friend and congregational support networks, as well as studies of racial differences in informal support networks.     

秋阳·创巴活佛对于藏传佛教西方传播的贡献

2014年是秋阳·创巴活佛圆寂二十七周年。他是二十世纪以来将藏传佛教佛法传播至西方世界的开拓性重要人物。他非凡的人生经历和佛法教导内容，至今仍在塑造并影响藏传佛教全球化的发展传播。     

当代中国的音乐及社会差序——京剧票友会与摇滚乐队“派对”比较研究

本文主要探讨当代中国的两种音乐活动形式——京剧票友会以及摇滚乐队派对。这两种音乐形式虽然在风格上截然不同,但是两种社团在结构上却存在着一定的相似性。这两种活动形式基本上都具有我们所称之为＂为位＂（positioning）的行为,参与者由此在音乐活动中找到他们各自的位置。而且,两种活动形式都涉及到＂外来者的融入＂（outsider integration）,即允许陌生人的参与并在活动中找到他们的位置。     

对神灵的殷勤与祭祀

仪式的流程是所有与神灵和祖先相关的中国仪式中最为基础的。这些仪式所涉及的是组织仪式活动的祭祀者以及接受祭祀并能够对祭祀活动作出反应的神灵之间的一种关系。在人类学中对仪式的描述有两种范式。一种是“殷勤”（hospitality），另一种则是“祭祀”（sacrifice）。     

Dual class shares,board of directors’ effectiveness and firm’s market value: an empirical study

This study aims to identify whether a relationship exists between the controlling shareholders’ voting power and outside directors’ effectiveness in maximizing firms’ financial performance. We analyze a panel data with 3057 observations for the 2000–2012 period using a random effects model, logit and probit regressions, and the two-stage model of Heckman in the Brazilian stock market. Our findings show that firms whose controlling shareholders use dual class shares to leverage their voting power have less independence from the board and worse financial performance and market value. Further, the percentage of outside directors tends to be ineffective in increasing the firm’s value, and in changing the firm’s chief executive officer (CEO) when (1) the controlling shareholder’s voting power is leveraged, or (2) when the CEO assumes a position on the board of directors simultaneously. We interpreted that these results are in line with the arguments in favor of the existence of a new agency cost, which is related to the undue obedience of board members to authority, such as the largest controlling shareholder or the CEO in Brazilian listed firms.